New Study Highlights Prognostic Factors in Childhood KMT2A-Rearranged AML
A recent study by the International Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster Study Group (I-BFM-SG) has identified key prognostic factors in childhood KMT2A-rearranged acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The study, involving 1,130 children diagnosed between 2005 and 2016, emphasized the significance of flow cytometry-based measurable residual disease (flow-MRD) and its role in predicting outcomes.
Children were categorized into high-risk and non-high-risk groups based on their fusion partners. The study found that children in the high-risk group had significantly lower 5-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) rates. Additionally, MRD negativity at the end of the second induction (EOI2) was associated with better EFS and OS across both risk groups.
While allogeneic stem-cell transplantation (allo-SCT) reduced relapse rates in high-risk patients, it did not improve overall survival. The study concluded that EOI2 flow-MRD should be included in risk stratification for this disease, and alternative treatment approaches are needed to improve outcomes for high-risk patients.